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WALKING UP TO THE MAN who rose from his chair, Anna had to admit that Mary had a point. Filling his shirt in all the right places, she found a strong hand held out for her to take. "Jesse Deal, Miss Henley. How is Charles doing? Anything I do to help?"
"Nothing thanks, Mr...."
"Deal. But everyone just calls me plain, Jesse."
"Alright Jesse, I don't know what Charles had said to you yesterday, but we don't have any jobs on the ranch. Charles was our one and only ranch hand. I'm sorry for wasting your time." Seeing the man sit back down and look disappointed, Anna apologized once more. "He has a habit of saying things when he's got alcohol in him."
"That's funny, he was telling me that he was thinking of retiring," Jesse said. "Said his body couldn't keep up with the farm anymore."
"Did he now?" Anna said, looking to the ceiling and wishing that Charles was awake to explain himself. "Well, that's the first he told me about this."
"I think I'll leave you two to talk," Mary said, excusing herself. Pointing to the ceiling above them she added, "I'll pop in and see if he's OK."
"You do that, Mary. And when he does come around you can tell him that he and I are going to have a few words," Anna said.
"Listen Miss Henley, I don't mean to keep a man to his promise, but he offered me work. And right now I'm a little desperate," Jesse said.
"Well, I'm not, Mr. Deal. —As I said, I'll be waiting on Charles to come back."
"If that happens," Jesse said. "I heard he took a pretty bad beating last night. Robert said that he broke an arm. I'm no doctor, but I'd say that's a good six to eight weeks before he'll be back. Then there's his age-"
Walking over to him, Anna looked down at him. "Was this you? This how you take care of the competition? Give him a beating and take his place."
Sitting forward, Jesse pointed a finger at her. "I don't know what you're thinkng, Miss Henley. But that's not the way I live my life. —You can say what you want about me, but I spent the night drinking with that man. If you think I'm the kind of man that beats up elderly men, then maybe you're right. Maybe I should go and find work somewhere else." Getting up from his seat, Jesse put his hat on. "When you see Charles, tell him I hope he gets well soon. And I hope they catch the people who did that to him." Tipping his hat, he added. "Good day, ma'am."
Watching him leave, Anna turned as Robert spoke to her. "Well, did you give him the job?"
"No, why would I? Telling me that Charles was considering giving up his job. Probably beat him up to speed up the process-"
Looking around, Anna found him on his own. “Where are the girls?”
They're upstairs with Mary, wanted to see how Charles was doing,” Robert said. “But that thing you said, it's true- “
Hearing the words, Anna looked at him in shock. "What? That he beat him up?"
"No, that Charles was giving up the farm. He's been telling me that this past few weeks, but he couldn't find the courage to tell you."
"What? If he'd been having ideas like that I would have listened to him," Anna said.
"Maybe. But that's something you and he need to talk about. But right now I think you're turning your back on a capable ranch hand."
"I don't even know him," Anna said, looking at the door Jesse had passed through. "What if he's-"
"You know Charles as well as I do, Anna. I think he's a good judge of character. Especially if he was thinking of offering him a job. I think I'd take his recommendation."
Looking at the door, Anna shook her head. "I doubt he'd take it now. Not after I blamed him for beating up, Charles."
"You didn't-"
"I did. Told him he did it to get the job."
"I guess you better get after him before he leaves town," Robert said, picking up Jesse's empty glass and wiping down the table.
"Where's he staying?" Anna asked.
"Judging by the small amount of money he had on him, I'd say he was sleeping rough. If I was you I'd hurry. —Take my horse."
Knowing Robert was right, Anna took off after Jesse. Heading out the door, she knew her biggest problem wasn't finding him. It was what she was going to say after that.
*****
FINDING JESSE ON HORSEBACK trotting out of town, Anna slowed Robert's horse and came up alongside him. Seeing him continue to ride with his eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead. She knew he was going to make her pay for what she'd said to him. Cursing Charles under her breath, she knew Robert was right. Knowing people like he did, Charles had seen something in the man that she obviously hadn't.
"Look, I'm sorry for what I said back there-"
"So, you're going to give me the job," Jesse interrupted.
Seeing him still look straight ahead, Anna bit her lip in frustration.
"I never said that-"
"So your farms in this direction then," Jesse replied.
"No, it's back the other way. —Look will you stop riding for a minute." Slowing her horse, Anna was relieved to see him do the same. "Thank God for that, I thought you were going to keep on going."
Turning in his saddle, Jesse looked her in the eye. "I'll take the job, but let's get one thing straight, Miss Henley. I'm only taking it because I'm desperate. I'll take the job only as long as Charles is laid up. Once he's back, I'm gone. You can do what you want after that."
Knowing she deserved what she got, Anna bit her tongue. "Fair enough, Mr. Deal."
"It's Jesse," Jesse said and flashed her a smile. " I don't know about you, but I'm starving right now. But I hear they do a good breakfast back at the saloon. —Did I tell you that I'm broke."
"You've got a quite a neck on you," Anna said.
"My neck? There's other parts of me that are far more impressive," he quipped.
Lost for words and feeling her face blush at the comment, Anna watched him ride off. Left on her own, she wondered if she was going to regret her decision.
*****
RIDING BACK TO THE farm in their buckboard cart, Anna found her sisters’ fascination with Jesse start to get tiring. Meeting up with them at the saloon, she sat through watching them watch his every move. Even eating a meal had a novelty factor for them that Anna couldn't get her head around. Thinking that they'd get over it, she found them drooling over him as they rode home.
"So, how long is he staying for?" Emma asked.
"Six weeks and then he's gone. So, don't either of you be getting any ideas. —He sleeps in the barn and that's where he stays."
"But surely "
"Don't argue with me, Emma. We don't even know the man that well. All I'm going on is what Charles thought of him. For all we know we could be taking in a fugitive from the law."
"A good-looking one though," Clara added. "He could rob me any day."
Anna looked over the pair. "I swear you two are having cold baths the moment we get home."
"Where's he sleeping?" Emma asked. "We could make room in the house."
"Have you been listening to me, Emma?” Anna asked. "He sleeps in the barn. I'm sure he's slept in worse than that."
"I can get him that large quilt, the one that I made last year," Emma said, "it's bound to keep him warm."
"I swear the way you two are going on you'd think we were taking in a wounded bird or something," Anna said, turning their cart into the lane way that led to the farm. "Six weeks and then he's gone."
"But what if we need him for longer? What if Charles isn't fit to come back?" Clara asked.
"Six weeks is all he's getting," Anna said. "We probably won't be here for much longer ourselves."
"Why?" Emma asked.
"I'm thinking of selling the farm," Anna replied. "I've been talking to Mary about us becoming mail order brides." Hearing the arguments against the idea, Anna ignored them. "It mightn't come to that, but I'd rather we were prepared. These things take time to get organized." Pulling the handbrake of the cart, she held her hand up for silence. "We can talk about this later, alight?" Getting a grumble from the pair, Anna was relieved to see Jesse walking over. Seeing the pair sit in nervous excitement as he strode over, Anna shook her head and climbed off the cart. “I'm sure you two can show Jesse around." Seeing Jesse help them both down, she watched the pair run off giggling and the man look after them with a grin.
"Nice girls those two."
"Nice, and out of bounds, Mr Deal. —You can make a bed for yourself in the barn—and as for food. I'll have your meals sent out to you," Anna said and walked past him. Making her way toward the small wooden lodge her father had built, she stopped in the doorway and turned. "I'll have Clara and Emma bring out some things to make your stay comfortable."
"Thank you," Jesse answered.
"Let's just hope Charles knew what he was doing," Anna said and closed the door after her.